I’m planning on dropping out within the next ten years, and after sewer overflow/black mold I am faced with what to save before then, so my children won’t have to deal with them. (Friends and other relatives are dropping like flies.) There will be a file drawer (of 7) dedicated to Genealogy and another for my 53-year old daughter with Downs Syndrome (currently with incipient dementia). A big mistake I made was not making a copy of all my blog posts. (I see from others–e.g. Jill Dennison and Keith Wilson–that with forethought one could save all their blogs, whereas I have saved none, except probably having access to the most recent one. A moot point, anyhow.
I will keep all photos–known or unknown. I’ll keep only the most current bank, retirement and/or health papers. I’ll keep all significant letters from my past, and gifted art and/or collages I have done and am pleased with (on the wall, not in the file).

I’m torn about my fiction, but not as torn as I am about my interest and pre-blog files. I guess I might rely more on Google (or whatever it’s called now), but I trust the surer sources to anything that might be tainted with AI. (There, I’ve revealed a prejudice but not for the first time.) Let’s see…what can I use all that free filing cabinet space for? Oh yes! My jigsaw puzzles!

The thing is, nobody will have the time or interest in reading my old files or yours either, maybe. It feels like a good time to share a few lines from a workshop (also in my files):

NO NIRVANA WITHOUT SAMSARA
Suicide can be a case of mistaken identity
Without knowing for sure what’s right or wrong, take your best shot.
Unable to get our own way, often we settle for trying to prevent other people from getting their way.
By now, I’m no longer interested in whether or not someone REALLY loves me. I’ll settle for being treated well.
____________________

ODE TO THE OCEAN
At Tybee Island there’s a beach
Sea shells sparkling within your reach
The moon and tide dance together
whether fair or foul the weather.
Dolphin family shows itself,
Camera’s sitting on the shelf.
Some folks do like to ride the wave
Others turn out to be less brave.
Use suntan lotion in the sun,
A bag for shells, everyone!
The beach chair helps if you are old
Salt water too or so I’m told.
Do shut your eyes and hear the sea
Ancient memories capture me.
Lullaby of the sea it sings,
Of climate change and other things.
When all is said and all is done
A trip to the beach is lots of fun.

Nan